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LEGAL GUIDE
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2023

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This memo reflects the valid Colombian legislation at the date it was sent and it seeks to provide
general and basic information of the Colombian law. This message does not represent or
replace legal counsel of a specific or particular matter. Such legal counsel must be obtained
from specialized legal services. To that effect, we suggest that you contact any of the law firms
that can be found in the Investor’s Services Directory located in the webpage of ProColombia
www.procolombia.co
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ENVIRONMENTAL
REGIME
CHAPTER 8

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COLOMBIAN
ENVIRONMENTAL
REGIME
8.1. THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
SYSTEM– SINA
As Jurisprudence and Doctrine have
denominated it, since the Political
Constitution of 1991, this has been
recognized as the Ecological Constitution
of Colombia, under the conception of
being a Charter that welcomes and
promotes the protection of renewable
natural resources and the environment
and coined the concept of sustainable
development that since the mid 80’s, was
already gaining strength worldwide.
In this way, the structure of the
Colombian State, since the Political
Constitution of 1991, has been
strengthening and adjusting to the
reality of territorial development and
management, which clearly has to
contemplate each of the environmental
determinants of each region. In 1993,
the Congress of the Republic issued Law
99 of 1993, which is well recognized as
the Law that created and organized the
National Environmental System – SINA
for its acronym in Spanish.
The SINA is composed by the following
elements:
Figure 1.
Principles and Guidelines
State entities responsible for
environmental policy and action
Source and economic resources for
environmental management and
restoration
Specific Regulations
Non-governmental community
organizations
Public, private, or mixed entities that carry out
activities for the production of information
or scientific research and technological
development in the environmental field
Source: Own elaboration

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Based on the above, it is necessary that
any natural or legal person wishing to
develop a project of a different nature in
Colombia takes into account the following
relevant aspects of the Colombian
environmental regime:
8.1.1. Principles of environmental law
of greater recognition in doctrine and
jurisprudence in Colombia
In this regard, it is essential to point out
that the Principles of Environmental
Law were proclaimed in 1992, in the Rio
de Janeiro Declaration, whose objective
was to establish a new and equitable
global alliance, always seeking to reach
international agreements in which the
interests of all are respected.
Based on this, 27 principles were
proclaimed, of which we consider it
essential to mention those that have
had the greatest development or
legal, doctrinal and/or jurisprudential
recognition in Colombia, all of which are
included in Law 99 of 1993.
8.1.1.01. Precautionary Principle
In the Rio Declaration, it is recognized
as Principle 15, which basically states
that where there are threats of serious
or irreversible damage, lack of scientific
information or certainty should not be
used as a reason for postponing effective
measures to prevent environmental
degradation.
8.1.1.02. Prevention Principle
Due to its name, it is often confused with
the Precautionary Principle. However,
this is based on the knowledge that the
activity, work or project to be carried
out may cause damage. Therefore, the
authorities are called upon to adopt
measures to avoid or mitigate the cause
of the damage.
8.1.1.03. Polluter pays principle
This principle has been disseminated
and recognized as the one that gives an
economic value to the environmental
impact, trying to anticipate the cost of the
use and exploitation of natural resources
whose application has been recognized
in Colombia by the application of fees or
internalization of costs normally in the
Environmental Impact Study (EIA for its
acronym in Spanish).
8.1.1.04. Principle of Environmental
Impact Assessment
This Principle is fundamental in Colombia,
especially for the development and
execution of those works, activities, and
projects that may generate an impact
that, due to its magnitude, is subject
to the decision of the environmental
authority approval. Therefore, it is the
basis for the creation and existence of the
Environmental License.
8.1.1.05. In Dubio Pro Natura Principle
Based on the Precautionary Principle,
in which it has been widely recognized
that “in the face of scientific doubt
and uncertainty about risks to the
environment, it must be resolved
in favor of nature, which has been
jurisprudentially called in dubio pro
natura or in dubio pro ambiente, which
is applied when there is no certainty
about the impact of a certain activity

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on the environment and the certainty
of the impact is legally assumed to be
negative”1
.
8.1.1.06. Principle of Sustainable
Development
In the Rio Declaration, it has been
described as follows: In order to achieve
sustainable development, environmental
protection must be an integral part of
the development process and cannot be
considered in isolation2
.
8.1.2. Normative Principles
According to Law 99 of 1993, the exercise
of environmental functions by territorial
entities shall be subject to the principles
of regional harmony, gradation of
regulations, and subsidiary rigor.
8.1.2.01. Principle of Regional Harmony
TheDepartments,Districts,Municipalities,
Indigenous Territories, as well as the
regions and provinces to which the law
gives the character of territorial entities,
shall exercise their constitutional and
legal functions related to the environment
and renewable natural resources in a
coordinated and harmonious manner,
subject to the superior norms and the
guidelines of the National Environmental
Policy, to guarantee unified, rational and
coherent management of the natural
resources that are part of the physical
and biotic environment of the natural
patrimony of the nation.
8.1.2.02. Principle of Regulatory
Gradation
In regulatory matters, the rules issued
by the territorial entities concerning the
environment and renewable natural
resources shall respect the superior
nature and hierarchical preeminence
of the rules issued by authorities and
entities of higher hierarchy or of greater
scope in the territorial understanding
of their competences. The functions in
environmental and renewable natural
resources matters, attributed by the
Political Constitution to the Departments,
Municipalities and Districts with special
constitutional regime, shall be exercised
subject to the law, regulations and policies
of the National Government, the Ministry
of the Environment and the Regional
Autonomous Corporations (CARs for its
acronym in Spanish).
8.1.2.03. Principle of Subsidiary Rigor
The rules and measures of environmental
police, that is to say, those that the
environmental authorities issue for the
regulation of the use, management,
exploitationandmobilizationofrenewable
natural resources or for the preservation
of the natural environment, whether they
limit the exercise of individual rights and
public liberties for the preservation or
restoration of the environment, or require
a license or permit for the exercise of a
certain activity for the same reason, may
be made successively and respectively
more rigorous, but not more flexible, by
the competent authorities at the regional,
departmental, district or municipal
1
RODRÍGUEZ, Gloria A. Fundamentals of Colombian Environmental Law. National Environmental Forum and Fried-
rich-Ebert-Stiftung in Colombia. First Edition, 2022
2
In this regard, it should be pointed out that the concept of Sustainable Development was born in the mid 80’s, con-
ceived in the report prepared by the Brundtland Commission and called “Our Common Future”, in which it was pre-
sented as “the development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”.

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level, to the extent that the hierarchy
of norms is lowered and the territorial
scope of competences is reduced, when
special local circumstances so warrant, in
accordance with law.
The Administrative Acts issued in this way
must be reasoned.
Concerning the Regulatory Principles,
special reference will be made to the
Principle of Regulatory Gradation and the
Principle of Subsidiary Rigor due to the
jurisprudential development that this has
had in Colombia.
8.1.3. Entities that make up the SINA
(a) The Ministry of Environment
and Sustainable Development
(MADS), is the governing body for
the management of the environment
and renewable natural resources,
responsible for promoting a relationship
of respect and harmony between man
and nature and for defining the policies
and regulations to which the recovery,
conservation, protection, planning,
management, use and exploitation of
renewable natural resources and the
environment of the Nation will be subject,
to ensure sustainable development; it
is also the coordinator of the National
Environmental System (SINA).
(b) The National Environmental
Licensing Authority (ANLA), is the
environmental authority that exercises
permitting and sanctioning powers with
respect to projects, works and activities
under its jurisdiction. It is responsible for
ensuring that projects, works or activities
subject to environmental licensing,
permits or procedures comply with
environmental regulations, in such a way
that they contribute to the sustainable
development of the country.
(c) Regional Autonomous
Corporations (CARs), Autonomous
Corporations for Sustainable
Development and municipalities,
districts and metropolitan areas whose
urban population exceeds one million
inhabitants within their urban perimeter,
which act as environmental authorities
exercising permitting and sanctioning
powers with respect to projects, works or
activities subject to their competence and
jurisdiction.
The CARs are public entities, made
up of territorial entities that due to
their characteristics geographically
constitute the same ecosystem or
form a geopolitical, biogeographical
or hydrogeographical unit, charged
by law with managing, within the area
of their jurisdiction, the environment
and renewable natural resources
and promoting their sustainable
development, in accordance with legal
provisions and the policies of the
Ministry of the Environment.
(d) Scientific entities attached and
linked to the Ministry of Environment
and Sustainable Development:
• The Institute of Hydrology,
Meteorology and
Environmental Studies,
• IDEAM;
• The Marine and Coastal
Research Institute “José Benito
Vives de Andreis”, INVEMAR;
• The Alexander Von Humboldt
Biological Resources Research
Institute;
• The Amazonian Institute of
Scientific Research “Sinchi”;
• The Pacific Environmental
Research Institute “John Von
Neumann”.

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8.1.4. National System of Protected
Areas (SINAP)
It is the set of protected areas, social
and institutional actors, strategies, and
management instruments that contribute
to the fulfillment of the country’s general
conservation objectives.
Taking into account that the Convention
on Biological Diversity entered into force
in Colombia in 1995 and that due to
the biological, topographic, and natural
resource diversity in the Colombian
territory, the SINAP was created,
whose main focus is the protection and
conservation of certain areas with natural
and cultural connotations that have great
ecological value.
In the SINAP, the National Natural Parks
Unit of Colombia plays a leading role,
being in charge of:
i. Coordinating the conformation,
operation and consolidation of
theNationalSystemofProtected
Areas, in accordance with
the policies, plans, programs,
projects and regulations that
govern said System and
ii. Granting permits, concessions
and other environmental
authorizations for the use
and exploitation of renewable
natural resources in the areas
of the National Natural Parks
System and issuing a concept
within the framework of
the environmental licensing
process for projects, works or
activities of projects, works
or activities in the areas of
the National Natural Parks
System, , in accordance with
the activities permitted by
the Constitution and the law,
among others.
Protected areas are classified as public
and private:
8.1.4.01. Public protected areas:
a. National Natural Parks System.
b. Protective Forest Reserves.
c. Regional Natural Parks.
d. Integrated Management
Districts.
e. Soil Conservation Districts.
f. Recreation Areas.

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Areas of the National Natural
Parks System
Public protected areas Registered with the Parks
Unit
Civil Society
Natural Reserves
Integrated Management
Districts
Protective Forest Reserves Soil Conservation Districts
Regional Natural Parks Recreational Areas
Source: Own elaboration
Source: Own elaboration
Figure No. 3. Protected areas of a private nature
The main aspect to highlight is that all
extractive activities are prohibited in
natural parks (national and regional),
which are the strictest conservation
category of the SINAP. Such activities
are also prohibited in protective forest
reserves.
8.1.4.03. Protected Area Concept
A geographically defined area that
has been designated or regulated and
managed to achieve specific conservation
objectives (Law 165 of 1994).
8.1.5. Main Objectives of SINAP
a. Ensure the continuity of natural
ecological and evolutionary
processes.
b. Guarantee the supply of
environmental goods and
services essential for human
well-being.
c. Guarantee the permanence
of the natural environment
or of some of its components,
as the foundations for the
maintenance of the country’s
cultural biodiversity and the
social valuation of nature.
8.1.6. Other areas of special
environmental protection
These are not part of the areas of the
Protected Areas System; however it is
important to highlight that there are
other figures with legal recognition in
Colombia, some of them are still subject to
declaration, zoning and establishment of
Environmental Management Plans for the
proper use and exploitation of renewable
natural resources associated with each of
them, therefore it is essential to mention
them and make a brief description:
8.1.4.02. Private protected areas: Civil Society Nature Reserves.
Figure No. 2. Protected Area Categories

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(a) Forest Reserves of Law 2 of 1959.
Seven forest reserve zones were created:
i) Pacific Forest Reserve Zone, ii) Amazon
Forest Reserve Zone, iii) Central Forest
Reserve Zone, iv) Sierra Nevada de Santa
Marta Forest Reserve Zone, v) Cocuy
Forest Reserve Zone, vi) Magdalena River
Forest Reserve Zone, and vii) Serranía de
los Motilones Forest Reserve Zone.
For the purposes of the development of
activities, works and projects of public
utility and social interest, the Law has
established the figure of subtraction of
forest reserve areas, a procedure that is
currently regulated by articles 7 and 8 of
Resolution 1526 of 2012 and Resolution
110 of 2022.
Regarding the forest reserves created
by Law 2 of 1959, these may be subject
to temporary or definitive subtraction
of area, to allow activities considered
of public utility or social interest and
other types of activities, such as public
infrastructure.
There are other areas that, despite not
being categorized as protected areas,
are of special ecological importance,
which is why they have legal and
regulatory restrictions that prevent the
development of certain types of projects,
works or activities, as they are strategic
ecosystems, such as, for example,
moorlands and wetlands.
Due to the above, the due diligence
exercice is essential to identify overlaps
in the area of interest.
(b) Moorland or paramo ecosystems.
Paramos or moors are considered
strategic ecosystems especially for their
role in the regulation of the hydrological
cycle that sustains the supply of water
resources for human consumption and
development of economic activities
of more than 70% of the Colombian
population. These territories are also
characterized by their high biotic and
sociocultural richness.
Thefunctionofdelimitingthepáramoswas
granted to the Ministry of Environment
and Sustainable Development since Law
1450 of 2011 and Law 1753 of 2015, a
function recently ratified by Law 1930 of
2018. In compliance with the above, today,
36 of the 37 páramos in the country have
been delimited.
(c) Wetlands. Wetlands are “those
extensions of marshes, swamps, peat
bogs or waters of natural or artificial
regime, permanent or temporary,
stagnant or flowing, fresh, brackish or
salt, including extensions of marine water
whose depth at low tide does not exceed
six meters” (Fide Scott and Carbonell
1986). (Fide Scott and Carbonell 1986)
Classification or types of wetlands in
Colombia:Mangroves,swamps,marshes,
salt marshes, estuaries, lagoons, natales,
guandales, cananguchales, peat bogs and
thermal waters, among others, are part
of the 55 types of wetlands that will be
included in the classification (Alexander
Von Humboldt Institute).
(d) Watersheds. The first normative
reference in Colombia is found in Article
83 of Decree 2811 of 1974 (Natural
Resources and Environment Code) and
characterizes them as inalienable and
imprescriptible assets of the State.
Additionally, it refers to them as a strip
parallel to the line of maximum tides or
that of the permanent bed of rivers and
lakes, up to thirty meters wide.
Based on the Decree 2245 de 2017,
the environmental authorities must
adequately manage and delimit the water
courses and define the order of priorities

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in the exercise of delimiting the water
courses in their jurisdiction.
8.1.7. Permits, Authorizations and
Concessions Regime.
Based on the celebration of the United
Nations Conference on the Environment
in 1972 in Stockholm, in December 1974,
Decree-Law 2811 of 1974 was issued,
by means of which the “National Code
of Renewable Natural Resources and
Environmental Protection” was dictated,
which is still in force.
In spite of being a regulation that is
about to turn 50 years old, it has been
considered that this Code was quite avant-
garde for its time, which knew how to
conceive the reality of natural resources
and the environment in Colombia, as well
as the adequate mechanisms for their
protection, preservation, conservation,
use and management, establishing,
among other things, a series of permits,
which are still in force today.
The Colombian State has sought to
develop an environmental policy
in accordance with the Colombian
ecosystemic reality.
Based on the above, permits,
authorizations and concessions are the
mechanism through which the State
authorizes the use and exploitation
of natural resources. The most widely
recognized or applied in Colombia are:
a. Single, isolated and/or
persistent Forest Harvesting
Permit.
b. Groundwater/Surface Water
Permit or Concession.
c. Wastewater discharge permit.
d. Selective collection and
environmental management
of waste: light bulbs, tires,
batteries, computers.
e. Authorization for the
transboundary movement of
hazardous waste.
f. Authorization for export of
biological diversity specimens.
g. Authorization for the
construction of works that
occupy the bed of a stream or
water reservoir.
h. Authorization to grant the
right to use the Colombian
Environmental Seal.
i. Atmospheric Emissions Permit.
j. Groundwater prospecting and
exploration permit.
k. Study permit for the collection
of specimens of wild species
of the Biological Diversity for
environmental studies.
l. Permit for suppliers of marking
elements of the National
Identification and Registration
System for Wildlife Specimens
in “Ex situ” conditions.
m. Post-consumer product return
management plans for used
lead acid batteries.
n. Post-consumerreturnmanagement
plansforexpireddrugsormedicines.
o. Environmental management plans
forpackagingwaste.
p. Pesticide post-consumer product
returnmanagementplans.
8.1.8. Environmental License
Following Decree 2811 of 1974, for the
execution of works, the establishment of
industriesorthedevelopmentofanyother
activity that, due to its characteristics,
may produce serious deterioration to
renewable natural resources or the
environment, or introduce considerable
or notorious modifications to the

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landscape, it will be necessary to carry
out a prior ecological and environmental
study and, in addition, obtain a license.
Nowadays, this figure is regulated in Law
99 of 1993, Decree 1076 of 2015 (which
includes Decree 2041 of 2014).
8.1.8.01. What is the Environmental
License?
According to Decree 1076 of 2015,
the “Environmental License” is the
authorization granted by the competent
environmental authority for the execution
of a project, work or activity, which in
accordance with the law and regulations,
may produce serious deterioration to
renewable natural resources or the
environment or introduce considerable or
notorious modifications to the landscape.
The competent environmental authority
authorizes the execution of a project,
work or activity from its installation to
its abandonment and dismantling, and
subjects its owner to the implementation
of measures for the prevention,
mitigation, correction, compensation
and management of the environmental
effects generated.
Generally, only those projects, works or
activities that the law indicates should
require an environmental license.
8.1.8.02. Main features of the
Environmental License
a. The environmental license
must be obtained prior to
the exercise of rights arising
from permits, authorizations,
concessions, contracts, and
licenses issued by authorities
other than environmental
authorities.
b. The environmental license may
be assigned in whole or in part.
c. The environmental license may
be integrated with another,
as long as the object of the
projects to be integrated is the
same, their areas are adjacent,
and they could have been
advanced in the same process.
d. The environmental license is
normally granted for the useful
life of the project, work or activity
and will cover the phases of
construction,assembly,operation,
maintenance, dismantling, final
restoration, abandonment and/
or termination.
e. The same project, work or
activity shall not require
more than one environmental
license.
f. For the development of
projects, works and activities
related to mining and
hydrocarbon exploitation,
the competent environmental
authority will grant a global
environmental license
covering the entire requested
exploitation area.
g. All environmental permits
required for the development
of the project, work or activity,
as long as they have been
requested within the licensing
process, will be included in
the respective environmental
license. The term of the
environmental license, as
well as of the environmental
permits included therein, will
be equal to the duration of the
project.
h. If after five (5) years the project
has not been built or executed,
the environmental license

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may lose its validity and for
this reason the environmental
authority must declare the loss
of validity of the license.
8.1.8.03. Some of the projects requiring
environmental licenses and competent
authorities
Section2ofDecree1076of2015,indicates
the projects, works and activities subject
to environmental licensing, namely:
a. Exploratory perforation of
hydrocarbons.
b. Exploitation and pipeline
transportation of hydrocarbons.
c. Mineral exploitation.
d. Construction and operation
of energy generation plants,
hydroelectric plants, and
renewable energy generation
projects.
e. Construction of power lines for
transmission and distribution
of energy.
f. Constructions of the sea and
riparian ports and projects of
road and rail infrastructure.
g. Manufacturing facilities for the
fabrication of certain chemical
substances.
h. Treatment, and recovery of
hazardous waste.
i. Construction and operation
of plants whose purpose
is the use and recovery of
biodegradable organic solid
waste greater than or equal to
twenty thousand (20,000) tons/
year.
j. Construction and operation of
sanitary landfills.
k. Projects that affect areas of the
National Natural Parks System.
8.1.8.04. Process for obtaining an Envi-
ronmental License
Obtaining the environmental license
must be done through an administrative
process regulated by law, which can be
initiated in two ways:
8.1.8.04.1. Projects requiring Environ-
mental Diagnosis of Alternatives:
For some projects, works or activities,
as established by law, an Environmental
Diagnosis of Alternatives (DAA for
its acronym in Spanish) must be
presented, except when the competent
environmental authority certifies that
the presentation of the DAA is not
required. The purpose of this is to
present the competent environmental
authority with sufficient information to
evaluate the different alternatives for
the development of the project, work
or activity, considering the geographical
setting and its environmental and social
characteristics, and a comparative
analysis of the effects and risks inherent
to the project, work or activity.
The projects, works or activities that must
consult the competent environmental
authority and require the presentation of
the DAA, are:
1. Seismic exploration of
hydrocarbons that requires
the construction of roads for
vehicular traffic.
2. The transportation and
conduction of liquid or gaseous
hydrocarbons, which are
developed outside the fields;
of exploitation that imply the
construction and assembly of
infrastructure of conduction

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lines with diameters equal to
or greater than six (6) inches
(15.24 centimeters), except in
those cases of new lines whose
route is to be carried out
through existing rights of way
or easements.
3. Liquid hydrocarbon delivery
terminals, understood as
the storage infrastructure
associated with pipeline
transportation.
4. The construction of
refineries and petrochemical
developments.
5. Construction of dams, dams or
reservoirs.
6. The construction and operation
of electric power generating
plants.
7. Projects for the exploration
and use of virtually polluting
alternative energy sources that
come from biomass for power
generation with installed
capacity greater than ten (10)
MW, excluding those that come
from solar, wind, geothermal
and tidal energy sources.
(Added Decree 2462 of 2018,
art. 1).
8. Laying of new transmission
lines of the National
Transmission System.
9. Nuclear power generation
projects.
10. The construction of ports.
11. Construction of airports.
12. The construction of highways,
tunnels and other associated
infrastructure of the national,
secondary and tertiary road
network.
13. The construction of second
roads.
14. The execution of works in
the national fluvial network,
except for deepening dredging.
15. The construction of railroad
tracks and variants of these.
16. Projects requiring transfer
from one basin to another.
Once the competent environmental authority
makes a decision regarding the viable alter-
native among those presented in the Envi-
ronmental Impact Assessment (EIA for its ac-
ronym in Spanish), the environmental license
applicant must submit to the competent en-
vironmental authority the Environmental Im-
pact Assessment (EIA).
The EIA must include the information de-
tailed in the applicable regulations, including,
among others, the respective Environmental
Management Plan (PMA for its acronym in
Spanish), which, in turn, must be prepared
based on the terms of reference published
by the Ministry of Environment and Sustain-
able Development, or the terms of reference
prepared by the competent environmental
authority for the specific project, work or ac-
tivity; and the indication of all environmental
permits required for the development of the
respective project, work or activity.
8.1.8.04.2. Projects that do not require an
Environmental Alternatives Diagnosis:
For projects that do not require the presen-
tation of the Environmental Assessment of
Alternatives (DAA), the process will begin with
the presentation of the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) and the continuity of this
will be as previously described.

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Thus, in general terms, the environmental li-
censing procedure in Colombia is carried out
in the following stages:
a. Environmental license
application: To the competent
environmental authority,
indicating the location of the
project, its characteristics,
and possible environmental
impacts.
b. Environmental impact
assessment: The
environmental authority
reviews the application and
requests the applicant to
submit an environmental
impact assessment (EIA)
that evaluates the potential
environmental impacts of
the project and proposes
mitigation measures.
Source: ANLA
START
YES YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
YES
15 days
5 days 5 days
90 days
30 days
5 days
30 days
30 days
10 days
NO
NO
NO
END
Requires DAA
pronouncement
Renewable
Natural Resource
Depletion?
Request
information from
the interested
party
Do you
request information
from othe
entities?
Request for DAA
pronouncement
DAA Study
Filing
Does it require
AAD?
Issuance of DAA
Evaluation
Initiation Order
DAA pronouncement
document with TR for
DAA or ElA elaboration
Filing of ElA
Environmental License
aDDliCation and Droot of
payment of evaluation
service.
Additive act
defines alternative
and sets TR for ElA
preparation
Opportunity Third
Party Interveners
Expedition Auto
additional information
Issuance Order
declaring that
information has
been gathered
Issuance of the
Order of Initiation
Issuance of TC and
filing with ANLA
Filing Additional
informarion
File information
other entities
EIA filing in regional
AA and attach proof
to the
IA application.
Issuance of Resolution
granting or denying
FouronmentalLicense
Figure 4 . Environmental licensing process
c. Evaluation and approval of the
EIA: it includes an oral hearing
meeting before the competent
environmental authority,
in which said authority will
request for a single time the
information required for the
comprehensive evaluation of
the project. If the project is
foundtobeviableandadequate
measures have been taken
to mitigate environmental
impacts, the environmental
license is approved.
d. Compliance with conditions:
once the environmental
license has been granted,
the company or project must
comply with all the conditions
established in the license,
such as the implementation
of environmental monitoring

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programs, investments
in mitigation measures,
and compliance with the
established deadlines.
e. Supervision and monitoring:
the environmental authority
is responsible for supervising
and monitoring compliance
with the conditions of the
environmental license.
The interested party or
project owner must pay for
environmental assessment
and monitoring services in
accordance with the fees set
by the National Government,
and submit semi-annual
or annual environmental
compliance reports3
. In
case of non-compliance, the
environmental authority may
impose sanctions, revoke the
license, or take other measures
to protect the environment.
Likewise, it is reminded that if with the execu-
tion of the project, work or activity the own-
er evidences the need to carry out activities
involving the archaeological, paleontological,
historical and cultural heritage of the Nation,
he/she must request the respective autho-
rization from the Colombian Institute of An-
thropology and History (ICANH for its acro-
nym in Spanish) to carry out the respective
excavations and/or intervene in the archaeo-
logical heritage.
This institute oversees protecting, investigat-
ing, and disseminating Colombia’s cultural
and archaeological heritage, so it is necessary
to obtain its authorization before carrying out
any activity involving the manipulation or in-
tervention of these elements.
Among the activities that require authoriza-
tion from ICANH are the exploration, exca-
vation, collection, extraction, transfer, exhi-
bition, sale, commercialization, and export of
cultural and archaeological goods.
It is important to note that the lack of authori-
zation to carry out these activities may result
in sanctions and fines, in addition to being
considered a crime against the country’s cul-
tural heritage.
8.1.8.05. Similarities and differences
between permits, authorizations/con-
cessions, and environmental licenses.
8.1.8.05.1. Similarities
1.
3.
5.
7.
2.
4.
6.
8.
9.
They are granted by the Environmental Authority.
Their issuance is regulated by a legal procedure.
There is a possibility for citizen participation in the procedures established for their issuance.
They are modifiable.
They are prior to the development of the project, work, or activity.
They are issued though Administration Acts.
They may be challenged for nullity at any time under Article 73 of Law 99 of 1993.
They do not grant unmodifiable acquired rights.
Non-compliance with them may generate sanctioning processes.
4
Law 633 of 2000. Article 96. The environmental authorities shall charge for the evaluation services and follow-up
services of the environmental license, permits, concessions, authorizations and other environmental control and man-
agement instruments established in the law and regulations. (Regulated by Resolution 1280 of 2010).

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8.1.8.05.2. Differences
1.
3.
5.
2.
4.
6.
The Environmental License requires the submission of a DAA and/or an EIA. Permits do not require a
DAA or EIA.
The Environmental License includes the permits “implicitly.”
The validity of the Environmental License is for the useful life of the project, while the validity of permits
depends on the resource, unless they are granted within the License.
The Environmental License is required for projects, works, or activities previously established by the
regulations; permits.
The environmental permit can only regulate the use and exploitation of a renewable natural resource.
A project, work, or activity subject to environmental licensing only requires an Environmental License,
while a project, work, or activity that does not require an Environmental License may require one or
more permits, depending on the renewable natural resources affected.

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8.2. Prior consultation with
communities in the project area
The Ministry of the Interior in Colombia is
responsible for listing those areas in which
the prior consultation process must be
carried out and currently, by means of an
administrative act, determines whether
prior consultation is appropriate for the
execution of projects, works or activities.
In this sense, it is important to verify
and identify if within the areas of
interest there is the presence of ethnic
communities, including indigenous, Afro-
Colombian, Raizal and Rom communities,
considering the fundamental right of the
communities to be consulted, and the
owner must demonstrate good faith by
approaching and reaching agreements
with the aforementioned groups.
According to the jurisprudence of the
Colombian Constitutional Court, prior
consultation does not entail or imply a
veto right of the ethnic communities in
relation to the execution of the project,
work, or activity. However, in the event
that it is not possible to obtain the free,
prior and informed consent of the ethnic
communities, the proportionality test has
been employed as a criterion used by the
Colombian Constitutional Court.
In any case, the free, prior, and informed
consent of the ethnic community must be
obtained, and if this is not obtained, the
protection of the community will prevail
when the work, activity or project has
implications related to: (i) a resettlement
of the ethnic communities; (ii) the
management or disposal of toxic waste
in their territory; and/or the execution of
measures that imply a high social, cultural
and environmental impact that puts their
subsistence at risk.
8.3. Citizen participation
Any natural, legal, or private person,
without the need to demonstrate any legal
interest, may intervene in administrative
proceedings initiated for the issuance,
modification or cancellation of permits or
licenses.
The mechanisms for citizen participation
in environmental matters are:
a. Intervention in environmental
administrative proceedings.
b. Participation of Afro-
descendant and indigenous
communities in environmental
decisions that may affect them.
c. The ´tutela´action (special
and preferred judicial action),
popular, group, compliance,
special nullity actions.
d. Public hearings, administrative
hearings on environmental
decisions in process.
e. Decisions terminating an
action, for the issuance,
modification, or cancellation
of a license, shall be notified
to any person requesting it in
writing.
8.4. Environmental sanctioning regime
8.4.1. Administrative liability and
environmental sanctioning regime
The function of administrative
sanctions and preventive measures in
environmental matters is:
a. Administrative sanctions in
environmental matters have
a preventive, corrective and
compensatory function, to
guarantee the effectiveness of

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the principles and purposes set
forth in the Constitution, the
International Treaties, the law
and the Regulations.
b. Preventive measures, on the
other hand, have the function
of preventing, or avoiding the
continuation of the occurrence
of an event, the performance
of an activity or the existence
of a situation that threatens
the environment, natural
resources, the landscape, or
human health.
8.4.2. An environmental infraction is
any action or omission that:
a. Constitutes a violation of
the norms contained in the
Renewable Natural Resources
Code.
b. Constitutes a violation of other
environmental regulations in
force.
c. Constitutes a violation in the
administrative acts issued by
the competent environmental
authority.
d. Constitutes damage to the
environment (if there is
damage, a causal link between
the two).
If the environmental violation is
proven within the framework of the
administrative investigation carried
out by the competent environmental
authority, and if the alleged violator does
not disprove the presumption of guilt or
malice, he will be definitively sanctioned.
8.4.3. Preventive measures
At any time, the environmental authority
is empowered to impose preventive
measures, which, according to the
environmental sanctioning regime,
preventive measures are:
a. Written reprimand;
b. Preventive seizure of products,
elements and by-products of
wild fauna and flora;
c. Suspension of work or activity
when damage or danger to
the environment, natural
resources,landscape,orhuman
health may result, or when
the project has begun without
an environmental permit,
concession, authorization or
license or in non-compliance
with them.
8.4.4. Sanctions
In accordance with the environmental
sanctioning regime, the environmental
authority may impose the following
sanctions on the environmental violator:
a. Successive fines.
b. Revocation or expiration of
the environmental license or
permit.
c. Temporary or permanent
closure of the establishment,
and demolition of works as a
preventive measure.
d. Demolition of the work at the
violator’s expense.
e. Definitive confiscation of
specimens, exotic wildlife
species, products and by-
products, elements, means or
implements used to commit
the infraction.
f. Restitution of specimens of
wild fauna and flora species.
g. Community work according to
conditions established by the
environmental authority.
In addition to the administrative sanction,
theviolatormaybecivillyand/orcriminally
liable for the damages caused by the act
or omission.

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STANDARD REGULATED SUBJECT
PRINCIPLES AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Political Constitution Right of all people to a healthy environ-
ment. Obligation of the State and individu-
als to protect and conserve natural resources.
Decree Law 2811 of 1974
(Partially amended by Law 2099 of
2021)
Renewable Natural Resources Code - estab-
lishes detailed rules on the handling and
renewable natural resources, such as forests,
soils, water and theatmosphere.
Law 99 of 1993 It contains the basic principles and creates
the environmental institutional framework
through the National Environmental System
(SINA).
Law 1955 of 2019
Partially regulated by Law 2214 of 2022
Added by Law 2195 of 2022
Partially added Law 2099 of 2021
Added by Decree 800 of 2020
Amended by Decree 575 of 2020
Added by Decree 538 of 2020
Amends Law 1951 of 2019
Amends Law 1801 of 2016
National Development Plan (2018 - 2022)
- establishes mechanisms for intervention
in rural territories and establishes other rel-
evant provisions on environmental matters.
Amends Law 1508 of 2012
Adds Law 1508 of 2012
8.5. Regulatory framework

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STANDARD REGULATED SUBJECT
Decree 1076 of 2015
Added by Decree 1785 of 2021
Added by Decree 1630 of 2021
Superseded by Decree 690 of 2021
Added by Decree 690 of 2021
Amended by Decree 644 of 2021
Added by Decree 644 of 2021
Added by Decree 281 of 2021
Added by Decree 1585 of 2020
Amended by Decree 1540 of 2020
Amended by Decree 1210 of 2020
Amended by Decree 446 of 2020
Amended by Decree 1532 of 2019
Amended by Decree 1532 of 2019
Superseded by Decree 1532 of 2019
Added by Decree 1532 of 2019
Added by Decree 1468 of 2018
Added by Decree 1390 of 2018
Added by Decree 1235 of 2018
Added by Decree 1090 of 2018
Amended by Decree 1007 of 2018
Amended by Decree 703 of 2018
Added by Decree 356 of 2018
Added by Decree 284 of 2018
Amended by Decree 50 of 2018
Added by Decree 2245 of 2017
Added by Decree 1573 of 2017
Amended by Decree 1155 of 2017
Amended by Decree 926 of 2017
Added by Decree 585 of 2017
Added by Decree 415 of 2017
Added by Decree 251 of 2017
Amended by Decree 250 of 2017
Amended by Decree 75 of 2017
Added by Decree 2141 of 2016
Amended by Decree 2099 of 2016
Added by Decree 2220 of 2015
Amended by Decree 1956 of 2015
Amended by Decree 1850 of 2015
Sole Regulatory Decree of the Environ-
ment and Sustainable Development
Sector (compiles all Decrees related to
environmental issues).
Decree 1299 of 2008 (compiled in
Decree 1076 of 2015)
The obligation is created under certain cir-
cumstances to have an Environmental Man-
agement Department in certain companies at
the industrial level.
Decree 2372 of 2010 (compiled in
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Regulates Law 99 of 1993
Regulates the SINAP.

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STANDARD REGULATED SUBJECT
MADS Resolution 415 of 2010 Regulates the Single Registry of
Environmental Violators (RUIA for its acronym
in Spanish).
MADS Decree 870 of 2017 Payment for Environmental Services (PES)
and other incentives are established.
MADS Resolution 097 of 2017 Creates the Single Registry of Ecosystems
and Environmental Areas (REAA), whose ob-
jective is to identify and prioritize ecosystems
and environmental areas of the national
territory, in which PES and other conser-
vation incentives may be implemented, which
are not registered in the Single National
Registry of Protected Areas (RUNAP).
ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSING
Decree 1076 of 2015
Added by Decree 1785 of 2021
Added by Decree 1630 of 2021
Superseded by Decree 690 of 2021
Added by Decree 690 of 2021
Amended by Decree 644 of 2021
Added by Decree 644 of 2021
Added by Decree 281 of 2021
Added by Decree 1585 of 2020
Amended by Decree 1540 of 2020
Amended by Decree 1210 of 2020
Amended by Decree 446 of 2020
Amended by Decree 1532 of 2019
Amended by Decree 1532 of 2019
Superseded by Decree 1532 of 2019
Added by Decree 1532 of 2019
Added by Decree 1468 of 2018
Added by Decree 1390 of 2018
Added by Decree 1235 of 2018
Added by Decree 1090 of 2018
Amended by Decree 1007 of 2018
Amended by Decree 703 of 2018
Added by Decree 356 of 2018
Added by Decree 284 of 2018
Amended by Decree 50 of 2018
Added by Decree 2245 of 2017
Added by Decree 1573 of 2017
Amended by Decree 1155 of 2017
Amended by Decree 926 of 2017
Added by Decree 585 of 2017
Added by Decree 415 of 2017
Added by Decree 251 of 2017
Amended by Decree 250 of 2017
Environmental licensing regime.

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Amended by Decree 75 of 2017
Added by Decree 2141 of 2016
Amended by Decree 2099 of 2016
Added by Decree 2220 of 2015
Amended by Decree 1956 of 2015
Added by Decree 1850 of 2015
PROTECTED AREAS
Law 2 of 1959 Establishes forest reserve areas.
Decree 2372 of 2010 (compiled
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Establishes the legal regime of the areas
belonging to the SINAP.
MADS Resolution 110 of 2022 Establishes the regime for the subtraction
of forest reserve areas of Law 2 of 1959.
Law 1930 of 2018 Law for the protection of moorlands.
WATER
Law 9 of 1979 Establishes the National Sanitary Code.
Law 373 of 1997 Establishes the program for the efficient
use and saving of water.
Decree 1541 of 1978 (compiled
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Use of non-maritime waters - conces-
sions.
Decree 155 of 2004 (compiled
Decree 1076 of 2015)
On water use fees and adopting other
provisions.
Decree 1575 of 2007 Establishes the system for the protection
and control of the quality of water for human
consumption.
Decree 3930 of 2010
(compiled Decree 1076 of 2015)
Water use and liquid waste - dumping
permits.
Decree 2667 of 2012 (compiled
Decree 1076 of 2015)
The retributive rate for the direct and indirect
use of water as a receptor of punctual dis-
charges is regulated.
Decree 1090 of 2018 (compiled
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Adds Decree 1076 of 2015
Environment and Sustainable
Development Sector.
The Efficient Water Use and Saving Pro-
gram is regulated.

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Decree 050 of 2018 (compiled in
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Amends Decree 1076 of 2015
Environment and Sustainable
Development Sector
Creates the Regional Environmental Coun-
cils of the Macrobasins (CARMAC) and the
Water Resource and Dumping Management.
MADS Resolution 2115 of 2007 The characteristics, basic instruments and
frequencies of the control and surveillance
system for the quality of water for human
consumption are indicated.
MADS Resolution 1207 of 2014
Repealed by resolution 1256 of 2021
Provisions on the reuse of treated waste-
water
MADS Resolution 0631 of 2015
Amended by resolution 2969 of 2015
The parameters and maximum permissible
limit values for point discharges to surface
water bodies and public sewage systems are
established.
MADS Resolution 883 of 2018 By which the parameters and maximum per-
missible limit values for point discharges into
marine water bodies are established.
MADS Resolution 1257 of 2018 Regulates the minimum content of the Pro-
gram for Efficient Water Use and Saving.
OUTDOOR VISUAL ADVERTISING
Law 140 of 1994 Regulates Outdoor Visual Advertising.
AIR
Decree 948 of 1995 (compiled in
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Prevention and control of atmospheric pollu-
tion and protection of air quality.
MADS Resolution 619 of 1997 Partially establishes the factors from which
an atmospheric emission permit is required
for stationary sources.
MADS Resolution 909 of 2008
Validity
Establishes the norms and standards for ad-
missible emissions of pollutants into the at-
mosphere from stationary sources.
MADS Resolution 910 of 2008 Regulates the permissible levels of pollutant
emissions that land mobile sources must
comply with.
MADS Resolution 935 of 2011 Methods for the evaluation of pollutant
emissions from stationary sources and de-
termines the number of tests or runs for
the measurement of pollutants in station-
ary sources.

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ODORS
MADS Resolution 1541 of 2013 Permissible immission levels and the evalu-
ation of offensive odor emissions.
NOISE
MADS Resolution 627 of 2006 Establishes the national standard for noise
emission and environmental noise.
SOIL
Law 388 of 1997
Amended by Law 2079 of 2021
Added by Law 2079 of 2021
Amended by Decree 2106 of 2019
Territorial development, which includes the
environmental component as a basis for land
use planning.
FLORA
Decree 1791 of 1996 (compiled
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Forest harvesting regime.
FAUNA
Decree 1608 of 1978 (compiled
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Regulates the National Code of Natural Re-
sources and Law 23 of 1973 regarding wildlife.
HAZARDOUS WASTE AND RESIDUES
Law 9 of 1979
mended by Decree 2106 of 2019
Modificado por art. 36 de Decreto 126 de
2010
Modified by art. 36 of Decree 126 of
2010
Partially regulated by Decree 2493 of
2004
Partially regulated by Decree 1546 of
1998
Partially regulated by Decree 374 of
1994
Partially regulated by Decree 1172 of
1989
Partially regulated by Decree 305 of
1988
Partially regulated by Decree 704 of
1986
It dictates sanitary measures.

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Law 142 of 1994
Partially added Law 2099 of 2021
Amended by Decree 819 of 2020
Partially regulated by Decree 549 of
2007
Regulated by Decree 1713 of 2002
ulated by Decree 847 of 2001
Partially amended by Law 632 of 2000
Regulated by Decree 302 of 2000
Regulated by Decree 3087 of 1997
Regulated by Decree 1538 of 1996
Regulated by Decree 605 of 1996
Regulated by Decree 565 of 1996
Partially regulated by Decree 1429 of
1995
Regulated by Decree 2785 of 1994
Establishes the regime of domiciliary public
services.
Law 1252 of 2008 Prohibitive environmental regulations con-
cerning hazardous waste.
Decree 4741 of 2005 (compiled in
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Integrated waste and hazardous waste man-
agement.
Decree 2981 of 2013 Provision of public sanitation services.
MADS Resolution 1362 of 2007 Establishes the requirements and pro-
cedure for the registration of hazardous
waste generators.
POST-CONSUMER MANAGEMENT PLANS
MADS Resolution 1675 of 2013 Pesticide containers.
MADS Resolution 0371 of 2009 Expired medicines or drugs.
Resolution 0372 of 2009, modified by
MADS Resolution 361 of 2011
Used lead acid batteries.
MADS Resolution 1326 of 2017 Used tires.
MADS Resolution 1511 of 2010 Bulbs.
MADS Resolution 1512 of 2010 Computers and peripherals.

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Resolution 1407 of 2018, as amended
by MADS Resolution 1342 of 2020
Containers and packaging
Resolution 851of 2022 Electrical and Electronic Equipment (AEE for
its acronym in Spanish) and systems for the
collection and management of Waste Electri-
cal and Electronic Equipment (RAEE for its ac-
ronym in Spanish).
CHEMICALS
Law 55 of 1993 Safety in the use of chemicals products at
work.
Decree 1609 of 2002 (compiled in
Decree 1079 of 2015)
Regulates the handling and automotive land
transportation of dangerous goods by road.
ENERGY
Law 697 of 2001 Rational and efficient use of energy, pro-
moting the use of alternative ener-
gies.
Law 1715 of 2014
Partially amended by Law 2099 of
2021
Amended by Decree 2106 of 2019
Promotion and incentives for non- conven-
tional energy sources.
Decree 3450 of 2008 (compiled in
Decree 1073 of 2015)
It dictates measures tending to the rational
and efficient use of electric energy.
ENVIRONMENTAL SANCTIONS
Penal Code Contemplates crimes against the Environ-
ment.
Law 1259 of 2008 Establishes in the national territory the appli-
cation of the environmental comparendo to
violators of the rule of sanitation, cleanliness,
and debris collection.
Law 1333 of 2009 Whereby the environmental sanctioning pro-
cedure is established.
Law 1453 of 2011 Reform of the Criminal Code, the Code of
Criminal Procedure, the Code of Childhood
and Adolescence, and the rules on forfeiture
of ownership.
Law 1801 of 2016 Establishes the Police Code.
Decree 3678 of 2010 (compiled in
Decree 1076 of 2015)
Establishes the criteria for the imposition
of the sanctions established in Article 40 of
Law 1333.
MADS Resolution 2086 of 2010 Methodology for the assessment of fines es-
tablished in numeral 1 of Article 40 of Law
1333.

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It is important to clarify that, in addition
to the national regulatory framework
contained in the aforementioned
regulations, the Regional Autonomous
Corporations and the Urban
Environmental Authorities are
empowered, by virtue of the principle
of subsidiary rigor, to issue more
restrictive regulations within the scope
of their jurisdiction. For this reason, it
is advisable for the investor to identify
and define the national and regional
environmental regulatory framework
applicable to its project, work or activity.

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ADDRESS
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Calle 19 No. 5-51, Office 506
E-MAIL
contacto@estudiolegalhernandez.com
PHONE NUMBER
+57 (601) 6500070 - 2837153 - 282 5703
WEB PAGE
https://estudiolegalhernandez.com/

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